RHOBH - Teddi Mellencamp Gives Update On Daughter Dove's Planned Neurosurgery

Source: Twitter

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave revealed earlier this month that her five-month-old daughter Dove would be undergoing neurosurgery soon. She recently shared with her nearly one million Instagram followers more details about the planned procedure and her recovery plan.

During an update on her Instagram Stories, Mellencamp said that Dove will “undergo neurosurgery at the end of the month” after doctors diagnosed the baby with Lambdoid Craniosynostosis.

When a fan asked the RHOBH star about whether Dove will have “endoscopic surgery with helmet therapy or more open surgery,” Mellencamp revealed that her daughter will have the “more open surgery,” which she described as “the one with the zigzag scarring.”

The mom-of-three explained that her youngest daughter will probably need to wear a helmet for a year as part of the post-op recovery process.

According to the Mayo Clinic, Lambdoid Craniosynostosis is a birth defect that causes the fibrous joints between the bones of a baby’s skull to close prematurely before the brain is fully formed. As the brain continues to grow, it gives the head a “misshapen appearance.”

Mellencamp admits that her family is “filled with nerves” because neurosurgery sounds scary. She asked her fans for their prayers for baby Dove, and she says that they have faith that she will be okay.

Teddi Mellencamp also asked anyone who has had a child undergo the same surgery to please reach out because she would “love any additional insight and support.”

When she first shared Dove’s health problems, Mellencamp explained that dealing with anxiety is never easy, especially when it is happening in the public eye. She said that she was torn about whether she should share the information, but she wanted to be transparent and use her platform to reach others in similar situations.

“We are so grateful to have an amazing team of doctors and surgeons who have caught this early and will be working on her,” wrote Teddi Mellencamp. “The recovery is about a week in the hospital and a couple weeks at home with a very high success rate.”

New episodes of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills air Wednesday nights on Bravo.